Memoirs of a Past Life
by ThoseSoundsAtNight
Summary: Buring the past never helps anything. Talking about it seems to heal even the most infected of wounds.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Nope.

Warnings: OOC, OC, AU, Slash in later chappies.

A/n: Welcome to my first muti-chaptered ficcy. YAY! Came to me while writing a one-shot that I really should be working on right now. Enjoy, and try not to squirm too much.

-OOO-

Clara fidgeted slightly. Her dining partner stirred his coffee, seeming deep in thought, watching as the white of the milk disappeared into blackness.

He seemed in deep turmoil.

She didn't know who would break the silence first, but as she watched her friend fidget with his napkin, and dart his eyes around the small café, she knew she would need to be the one to break the silence first.

"Clank-" Clara started, but she was interrupted.

"Clara, have you ever wanted to tell the truth, but was afraid of how it would be received?"

Clara was taken aback. She had thought that this was going to be a nice, quiet, friendly date, but along with Clank's strange behavior and out-of-character comment, she got the feeling that she was in for a long, bumpy ride.

Clara threw Clank a look of confusion. Her blonde haired companion didn't notice the look. He seemed captivated by his swirling cup of coffee, still spinning even after three minutes after his spoon had entered the liquid.

"Clank!" Clara was beginning to get worried.

Clank sighed and turned his attention to Clara.

"Clara-" Clank started, then stopped, trying to get his thoughts together. "Clara, in the time that I have known you . . . you have not truly known me." Clank licked his lips and took a deep breath.

"I'm not sure I follow." Clara furrowed her brow, peering confusedly at Clank through her black bangs.

Clank closed his eyes and rubbed his face tiredly. He pulled his shoulders back, trying to create and air of confidence to help him tell his tale.

"Clara, I am not from here."

Clara gave her friend an odd look, scrutinizing his white blonde hair that glowed silver in the light, his paler than moonlight skin, and his green eyes that glowed eerily. She knew he was not from around here, from the first time she met him, in that tiny book store, all those years ago.

"Look, if you're trying to tell me that you're an illegal alien who came here to make it big-I'm okay with it. It happens every day. It's no big deal." Clara said, smiling softly.

Clank massaged his temple.

"No, you do not understand." Clank returned his eyes to his cup of coffee. "I am not of this world, of this galaxy, even." Clank closed his eyes, knowing that he would be considered crazy by an arrogant, close-minded being, such as a human.

"You mean like an alien? As in an alien from outer space?!" Clara laughed uncontrollably, disturbing some of the costumers sitting around them, who turned and glared at the oblivious Clara.

Clara wiped her eyes as she calmed herself, smiling sweetly at the glaring patrons.

Clank's shoulders sagged at Clara's outburst. He knew he shouldn't have told her. He was just so tired of lying to her. He just hoped she was more open-minded than the rest of her species. Apparently, he was wrong.

Clara saw Clank's downtrodden face.

"You can't be serious?! I mean an alien? C'mon, you know they don't exist. They're just made up hype made by drunken hicks." Clara stated, expecting Clank to realize that she didn't fall for his prank, and he would smile and admit it, and they would laugh about it for a while, then forget about by tonight.

Clank's mood did not get better, in fact he seemed to become more and more downtrodden.

"Clank?" Clara questioned.

"Clara, I am being perfectly honest with you."

"Clank, you shouldn't be talking like that." Clara stopped and looked around her and continued in a low whisper. "My cousin got put in an insane asylum for stuff like that."

"I am telling the truth!" Clank exclaimed, starting to loose his temper.

Clara shook her head and sipped her latte, a small smile playing on her features.

Clank rolled his eyes. "This is exactly the reason why I did not tell you in the first place." Clank mumbled. He stood up from his seat. Paying for his part of the bill, he walked out the door, into the snow-covered streets of downtown Manhattan.

Clara watched her blonde haired companion walk away. Amused smile still playing on her lips, she finished her latte, watching as the clouds continued to become darker and snow began to cover the skyscrapers that touched the sky.

Clara exited the small shop, trudging toward her apartment building, thinking about what just transpired between her and her green-eyed friend.

-OOO-

Clank walked through the door of his small apartment, closing the door softly and shuffling toward the couch.

His roommate was no where insight. He figured he was off somewhere, working on some sort of device, or fiddling with the computer.

Clank hung his coat on the coat rack next to the T.V. and sat down, dropping his head into his hands.

Clara's disbelief wasn't what was bothering him, but it was the memories that went to the forefront of his mind when he wanted to make his confession.

Clank's roommate came walking of the bedroom, horribly singing a pop song he had heard on the radio.

He noticed Clank's distressed body language.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Clank turned toward his companion.

"It is nothing, Al."

"It sure looked like something." Said Al, setting down the device he was working on.

Clank rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I tried to tell Clara the truth."

"What?!" exclaimed Al. "You said that you would never say anything about that, that it was behind you, and should stay there."

"I know what I said!" snapped Clank.

Al sighed. "Let me guess. She didn't believe you?"

Clank shook his head.

"Doesn't surprise me." Al sighed.

"That's not the only thing that's bothering you, is it?" Al asked.

His green-eyed friend turned his eyes toward his bigger counterpart.

"I know it was so long ago, but I miss him."

Al sighed, knowing whom Clank was talking about. "Clank, I thought you were over that."

"I thought so, too."

Al sat down next to Clank, knowing that this was going to be a long night.

-OOO-

A/n: YAY! First chappie done. Stay tuned for the next chap, next week, Adios, and don't forget to REVIEW!!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Disclaimed

A/n: Ugh! I have horrible writer's block. Sucks cause I love this story and I have no ideas for it. bangs writing book over head. Ow.

-OOO-

The next morning found Clank sitting at the kitchen table with tired, bloodshot, red, eyes.

Last night, he had finally let out all the grief, all the emotion he kept bottled up. Al had been kind enough to spend that time comforting him. Even though it had happened so long ago, he never found true peace over what happened.

Al sat across from him, solemnly silent.

Neither felt the need to break the silence.

Clank sniffed. Al's eyes shot up. He sighed.

"Maybe we should get out of the house for a little bit. Maybe walk around Central Park? Get some fresh air."

Clank stared at Al for a moment.

"C'mon Clank, you need to do something. You can't just stay in the house all day!"

Clank sighed. "I know Al, just not now."

"Okay." Al patted Clank's hand and got up to watch T.V.

-OOO-

Loud banging echoed throughout the house some hours later.

Clank growled softly. He had been taking a nap on the couch. He wanted to ignore it, but since the banging was too obnoxious, and Al was no where insight, Clank got up to answer the door.

"Finally! I thought you would never answer the damn door!" Clara pushed pass Clank, making herself comfortable on the loveseat near the window.

Clank stared at her oddly for a moment.

"What did you forget?"

Clank's confused expression was the only answer she received.

"Monday Movie Night? You know the one night of the week where we get together and watch that amazing thing called a movie." Clara was agitated.

Clank knew something was wrong. "What is wrong, Clara?"

"Oh nothing. Jim broke up with me." Clara sighed. "Oh well, time for the clubs again."

Clank smiled slightly.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Clara.

"What?"

"You seem . . . I don't know . . . off today. Is it because I was too smart for you prank yesterday?" Clank opened his mouth to protest.

"Which reminds me!" Clara exclaimed, silencing his protest.

"Continuing with our 'alien theme', I brought this . . . " Clara tossed out a DVD case with the word "War of the Worlds" on it. Clank could tell it was a rental, for it didn't have artwork on it.

"Plus, I want to stare at Tom Cruise's ass for two hours."

Clank rolled his eyes.

"What?! He's hot!" Clara protested.

"You think every actor is hot." said Clank.

"Well . . . yeah."

Clank shook his head, and sat on the couch.

"I brought popcorn!" Clara dung into her seamlessly endless bag of junk.

"Found it!" she exclaimed.

She walked into the kitchen, looking for a microwave.

"Hey, Clank?"

"Yes?"

"Where's your microwave?"

Clank stared confusedly at Clara.

"You know that big, box-type thing that cooks food in five minutes." Clara made some boxlike gestures with her hands.

"Oh," said Clank, realization dawning on him. "I think there's one in the attic."

Clara knew that the "attic" was actually just a room, filled with junk and knickknacks. Clara was confused.

"Why is it in the attic?"

Clank shrugged. "I think Al threw it in there."

Clara rolled her eyes. "Of course. Al thinks all technology is useless."

Clank stuck his tongue out, in a childish manner, at Clara's retreating back.

-OOO-

Clara sneezed. Her allergies were acting up, as dust and dirt floated into th air.

"Stupid Al," ranted Clara. "Why can't the microwave be in the kitchen? Where it belongs. No, it _has_ to be in the attic," Sneeze. "I swear, Al is gonna pay for my Clairten!"

Clara rummaged through boxes of assorted knickknacks and plain old junk. Clara roared in frustration. "I hate this. I'm just gonna burn this place down." Clara's temper was starting to get away from her, making her irrational.

She threw a box of delicate china across the room. "Oops." she said, no remorse evident in her voice.

She tossed a couple more boxes around, making a symphony of crashes. She didn't care if she broke anything, too intent with her mission. Clara was just about to give up, when she noticed a big box in the corner.

"Yay." She ran over to the box, ripped it open and found the microwave right on top.

"Thank god! I've been dying for some popcorn." Clara mumbled to herself, practically hugging the cooking machine. She stuck the box under her arm and turned to walk out of the room.

"Goddamn it!" Clara cursed. She had stubbed her foot on a rather large book.

She was about to kick the book across the room, when she noticed something. It wasn't a book, rather, a photo album. Curious, Clara picked it up, turning it over in her hands, until she saw the cover.

The word _Memories_ was inscribed on the front, along with some funny symbols on the bottom. Clara noticed some gray paper sticking out from the sides and recognized it as newspaper clippings.

Curiosity piqued, she slid one of the clippings from between the pages. She noticed the same funny symbols written on the page, as the ones on the cover. Clara noticed a strange picture in the middle.

It was of a catlike being, with wide green eyes, and large ears. Orange, striped fur covered his body, and he held a large, gun-like object in his large, five-fingered hand.

Clara thought it was a fake newspaper clipping the Clank made out of sheer boredom. _But, why would he do that?_ Thought Clara. Clank was Clank, and would never so something so pointless as making a fake newspaper clipping. Besides, why would he keep it? It didn't add up to Clara.

She pulled another clipping from the folds. This one showed a diminutive robot, wearing a James Bond-esque suit, with glowing green eyes. Clara giggled a little at the pose he was making.

Clara put the two newspapers side-by-side, trying to see why Clank would have something like this.

Finding no logical explanation, she rolled them up and walked out to the living room.

"Hey Clank?"

"Yes?" asked Clank from the couch.

"What's this?" questioned Clara, holding up the two clippings.

Clank turned around to see what Clara was talking about. His eyes widened and he jumped up and snatched the clippings from Clara.

"Where did you get these?" demanded Clank.

"They were in a box in the-"

"GET OUT!" commanded Clank.

Confused, Clara tried to calm her blonde friend.

"Are you-?"

"GET OUT," demanded Clank again. "GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!"

Clara didn't think twice. She ran.

When the door slammed shut behind Clara, Clank slid to the floor, crying.

Al came out of the bedroom, hearing the ruckus. "What's wrong?"

Clank rubbed his face. "It is nothing, Al."

Al knew not to push Clank when he was upset, so he left him alone, opting for making himself a sandwich.

"Hey, Al?" he heard from the living room.

"Yeah?"

"Do you still want to go to Central Park?"

-OOO-

End Notes: God, I hate this chapter. It sucks. So bad. I could've done so much more with this chapter, but I didn't realize it until I started to type it. Now, I'm just too lazy to revise. Oh well. Just ignore the boring dialogue, hyper/angry!Clara, and the collection of plotholes that have accumulated in this chapter. Don't worry. This is as bad as it gets. Next chappie contains ACTUAL plot, so YAY! Oh and about the thing with Tom Cruise/ War of the Worlds, I actually HATE Tom Cruise (I think he's a pompous, self-right righteous, know-it-all, who talks out of his ass) and especially War of the Worlds (The effects were awesome, but Dakota Fanning was just annoying), but it was the only thing I could think about at the time (which wasn't much). Well, I'm off the watch The Breakfast Club. Too bad it's on TV Land. They cut too much too out. Until next time. Remember to REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own 'Superman'. But, he does live in my closet IT'S TIME TO COME OUT THE CLOSET, 'SUPERMAN'.

Copyright: I officially copyright Clara. Cause she's THAT awesome.

A/n: The beginning kinda sucks. Damn writer's block was still kickin' when I wrote that part, towards the end it gets better, so DON'T GIVE UP ON THIS CHAPTER!

-OOO-

Clara had thought about what had transpired between her and Clank a few hours ago. It bothered her. Apparently, she had brought up a sensitive subject. But, why was it sensitive? The psychiatrist in her was curious to know.

She tried to come up with many logical explanations, but they all left her in the same spot she was in now. Nowhere. The only explanation she could think of was illogical, but, as a wise man once told her; expect the un expected. She sighed.

"Maybe Clank was telling the truth."

-OOO-

Clank was sitting on the couch, watching T.V. He felt like he wasn't hearing what was being said. He sighed.

_Knock, Knock_

He stayed put, knowing who was at the door, but not wanting to answer it.

_Knock, Knock_

He sighed.

_Knock, Knock_

He decided to answer, knowing that Clara could knock all day. He opened the door and Clara became tight lipped and uncomfortable. She wrung her red nailed hands and played with her black bangs, in a nervous fashion.

"Umm...Clank?" she asked, timidly.

"Clara?"

"I think I believe you now."

Clank was surprised. Clara was stubborn, and expected it to take a while to get her to believe him.

"Why?" he asked.

Clara sighed. "The newspaper clippings."

Clank had forgotten about the events of the day before, He had tried to forget about it, opting for putting it towards the back of his mind.

"May I come in?" asked Clara, more quiet than he'd ever heard her.

"Sure." Clank stepped aside and led Clara to the couch.

"Clara-"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't've snooped like that."

"Clara-"

"But, I just want to know-"

"Clara!"

Clara clamped her mouth shut.

"Clara, you should not be apologizing. I overreacted."

Clara fidgeted, biting her acrylic nails in thought. "Clank," she started "What _was _that a picture of anyway?"

Clank ran his fingers through his hair, combing out the tangles. He cleared his throat. "Clara, there is a lot you do not know about me." His hands began to tremble.

Clara became concerned. She reached out to hold his hand, calming his tremors. Clank pulled away.

"Clank?"

He walked towards the window, curling up on the loveseat, staring out the window. "Have you ever felt like you have everything you have ever wanted?"

Clara nodded. "Sure. Loads of times."

"How did you feel when it all went away?"

Clara's thoughts strayed to her now ex-boyfriend, Jim. "It felt...crushing..."

"Well, try multiplying that feeling by ten."

Clara brought her eyes to the floor.

"That picture...was of my lover." Clank choked out.

Clara eyes widened as her head shot up. Clank had buried hie head in his hands. Clara got up.

"Clank?" she asked, timidly. She walked towards him, cautiously. She bid her hand on his head, feeling the soft threads of his hair through her fingers. She began to comb with her fingers; massaging his scalp, then dragging them through to the tip.

"Don't!" As if in a panic, Clank pulled away from Clara, shooting up from his seat to go stand as far away as he could.

"He used to do that. He said he thought my hair was pretty." Clank began to pet his hair, in an almost obsessive fashion.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Clara brought her eyes down in shame. Clara noticed the clippings on the floor. She picked them up, examining them closely.

"What was his name?"

Clank sniffed. "Ratchet."

"That's an odd name."

"So is Clank, but you have never had any problems with it."

Clara smiled slightly. "Why _is _you name Clank?"

Clank shrugged. "Just a nickname." He scratched his forearm.

Clara blinked. "Then what's your real name?"

Clank shook his head. "That is of none importance."

Clara glared, but did not press the matter. She shifted the pictures, studying the second one.

"Then who's this?" she said, holding the paper in front of her face.

Clank stared for a moment, in a trance like state. He licked his lips, daring his eyes around the room, like a caged animal. "Me "

"You?" Clara asked; skeptical. Clank nodded.

Clara looked from the photo to Clank, trying to find the connection between the two. "How?"

"Al did it?"

"Where is Al?" Clara looked around the apartment.

"He went out shopping."

Clara 'hmm'ed quietly. "Then, how'd he do it?"

Clank shrugged. "He made this device and-"

"But, that's impossible!"

"Al thought so too, but he found a way." Clank shifted slightly.

Clara was still skeptical. She peered at Clank through her bangs, crossing her arms, and shifting her weight. "That must've been some advanced technology. I mean, there's a totally different atomic compound between steel and living tissue, making it impossible to-" Clara clamped her mouth shut, realizing that her babbling was making her sound judgmental.

"Clank," Clara tries to gain Clank's attention. When his eyes met her blue ones, she continued. "I'm not saying I don't believe you. I'm just saying how unbelievable it _sounds._ You get my meaning?"

Clank nodded slightly. "I think I get it."

Clara huffed, disturbing the bangs that hung in her face. "What were you, James Bond or something?"

"You could say that. I was very famous."

She blinked. "Seriously?"

Clank chuckled. "Seriously."

"Get out!" she exclaimed, a new light coming to her eyes, her own dreams of becoming an actress coming to her mind. "What was it like?"

Clank shrugged. "Boring, mostly." He sat down next to Clara."All it really was, was the director yelling out commands, and me following them."

Clara giggled. "Well, I still wanna be an actress. It'd be kinda cool, y'know? Meet new people, see new things. That type of stuff." Clank nodded.

"Was he an actor, too?" Clara asked, pointing to the other picture.

"Who, Ratchet? No. He tried a couple of times, but he was not very good at it." Clank giggled. "It was not really his thing."

"Then what was his thing?" Clara asked, curiously.

Clank cleared his _throat_. "Being a hero."

"What 'chu mean? Like 'Superman' hero, or cop hero."

"A little of both."

Clara raised her eyebrow. "Care to elaborate?"

Clank swallowed. "He saved the galaxy, but he did not have all those powers that 'Superman' has."

Clara blanched. "The galaxy!? Damn, we can barely keep order on one planet, and he was supposed to save an entire _galaxy!?_"

"Well, he did not have to. He wanted to."

"Why?" Clara asked.

Clank shrugged. "I think I sort of helped with that. I always pushed him to do the right thing. He was good at what at it, so I think it stuck."

Clara snorted, inspecting his picture. "You mean to tell me that puny thing ran around, kicking evil alien butt?"

"Yes. He was quite good at making explosions." Clank said, pointing to the gun in the picture. "I used to accompany him, when I was a robot."

"Why did you stop when you became a non-robot?"

"We both thought it would be too dangerous. I was completely useless as an organic. At least as a robot, if you repair me, I could just come back alive. That is a little harder when you are an organic." Clank said, sadness beginning to cloud his eyes.

Clara put her arm around his shoulders, pulling him in for a hug. Clank sniffed.

"How'd he die?"asked Clara.

Clank shook his head. "I do not want to talk about it."

Clara pulled Clank away from her body. "Okay." she said, a grim smile stretching across her face. "Maybe I should leave."

"No, you do not have to." Clank said, wiping his eyes.

"Okay."

There was silence for a moment.

"Clara?"

"Yes, Clank?"

"Would you get the photo album? I promise, I will tell you everything."

-OOO-

End notes: I love this chapter. Mainly because of the picture that comes to mind of Clank curled up on the couch, 'cause to me Clank looks like the Mpreg child of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy (if you don't get that, then don't worry about it, my brain has been corrupted by crazed fangirls). If I could draw, I would totally draw him. Maybe some one else can? wink, wink nudge, nudge. On another note, the chapters will get considerably longer, 'cause now we get into the plot, so it might take me a while to update again. Plus, I've gone in a completely different direction with this story and now have to sort that out in my brain. I'm debating on whether or not to start another story, 'cause I KNOW I'm gonna abandon this one if I do that, but I REALLY want to write the other one, so I have to figure all that out. Maybe if ALL MY READERS REVIEWED, I wouldn't have to have that much of a problem choosing. And I know I have readers. I check my stats. SO, I'm not begging (not my thing), but please review. Thank you! —really long rambling.


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